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(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 1.

H. SCHNEIDER. HYDRAULIC BRAKE FOR ORDNANUE.

No. 428,418. J Patented May 20, 1890.

"A rromvm 2 SheetsSheet 2.

(No Model.)

H. SCHNEIDER. HYDRAULIC BRAKE FOR ORDNANGB.

I Patented May 20, 1890.

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UNITED STATES HENRI SCHNEIDER, OF CREUSOT, FRANCE.

HYDRAULIC BRAKE FOR ORDNANCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 428,418, dated May 20,1890.

Application filed January 30, 1890- Serial No- 338,654. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRI SCHNEIDER, a citizen of the Republic ofFrance, and aresident of Creusot, Soane et Loire, France, have inventeda System of Conjugated or Combined Hydraulic Brake for Ordnance, ofwhich the following is a specification.

The system of conjugated or combined 11ydraulic brake for ordnance towhich the present invention relates has for its object, first, to limitthe recoil of the gun; second, to diminish the effects of concussion orvertical strain, and, third, to store up a part of the force developedin the recoil in order to assist in subsequently bringing the gun backto firing position. hen a piece of ordnance is placed on a support,cradle, or carriage capable of sliding or rolling on horizontal orinclined ways, the effects of the discharge are translated into a recoilof the piece and its support and a powerful vertical downward pressureon the platform or way. The force of this pressure or concussionincreases in proportion as the angle formed by the barrel with thedirection of recoil is increased, so that in the case of guns fired at aconsiderable elevation, and especially mortars discharged at seventy oreven seventy-five degrees, the vertical strain on the platform ormounting is considerable and the recoil very slight, or ml. The systemof conjugate or combined brake provided according to this inventionenables this percussion or vertical strain to be largely diminished andcompels the carriage to recoil invariably. As a practical result, thesupports or mountings are enabled to be made lighter, generally beingexposed to smaller strain, and it is rendered possible to discharge themost powerful guns and mortars at a very great elevation without dangerof damaging the platforms and structures on which they are carried.

The accompanying drawings illustrate, by way of example, twoarrangements of hydraulic brakes according to this invention, ashereinafter described.

Figure 1 of the said drawings illustrates in vertical section amortar-mountin g, composed, as usual, of a carriage A, an inclined way13, and a base or platform C, on which the upper parts rotate. Fig. 2 isa similar view of a modification.

The gun or mortar illustrated in Fig. 1 is supported on two plungers D,placed under the trunnions and sliding in guides provided in the body orchecks of the carriage. These plungers enter chambersE an d aresupported bytheliquidcontainedtherein. 'lhechambers E form hydraulicpress chambers or cylinders communicating through passages to with oneor't-wo ordinary hydraulic brake-cylinders F, in which work pistons G,firmly connected to the frame by their rods H. The recoil of thecarriage is braked by the passage of the liquid from the front to therear end I) of the brakecylinder, the flow of the liquid beingregulated,

.so as to vary the speed of the recoil according to any desired law,either by drilling suitable holes in the pistons or by providing groovesor ribs of varying profile in the sides of the cylinders, or by anyother suitable arrangement. WVhen the piece is fired in a directionparallel with the ways, for example, the piece and its carriage recoiland the liquid compressed between the front ends or heads of thebrakecylinders and their pistons retards the recoil by its escape. Therods l-l being drawn out of the cylinders, a quantity of liquidcorresponding to the volume of the said rods passes from thepress-chambers E into the brakecylinders. Then the momentum of therecoil has been completely absorbed, the carriage stops and then returnsto battery, owing to the incline of the way, and the liquid driven outof the brake-cylinders by the return of the rods H forces up theplungers D in the chambers E, thus returning the piece to the firingposition. When firing very high the recoil still takes place; but inthis case it is the result of the concussion or vertical shock, whichtends to depress the plungers D in the chambers E, expelling the liquidwhich they contain into the brake-cylinders, where the pressure of theliquid between the piston connected to the fixed ways and the cylinderconnected to the movable carriage causes the latter to recoil. Theconcussion or vertical force in this case is em ployed to produceworkthe elevation of the carriage 011 the inclined wayand in order toinsure the complete and automatic return of the gun to battery itsuffices to regulate the inclination, so that the work produced may beequivalent to what is required in order to force the plungers up againin the presschambers and bring the piece back to the firing posit-ion.The inclination of the way thus depends on the proportion of the weightof the carriage to the weight of the piece of ordnance which itsupports. At whatever angle the piece may be fired it descends or dropsin the carriage during the recoil; but the carriage rises relatively tothe way or support, so that the actual displacement of the piece is in aline which is horizontal or slightly inclined upward.

In the arrangement illustrated in Fig. 1 the conjugate or combinedbrakes being attached to the carriage move with it in the recoil; but inthe arrangement illustrated in Fig. 2 the brakes, bei ug on the ways orsupport are fixed, although their action is the same as in Fig. 1. InFig. 2 the carriage A, carrying the piece, travels on rollers on theinclined way B during the recoil, carrying with it the pistons G, actingas brakes in the cylinders F, placed parallel to the way. The wayoscillates on a center T, and is supported on the platform by theintervention of the plungers D, working in press-chambers E,communicating with the brake-cylinders F through the passages Ct.

In firing in a direction parallel to the Way the recoil takes place andis controlled in the usual. manner; but when firing at an angle upwardthe recoil is accelerated or assisted by the entry of the plungers D into the pressurechambers and the simultaneous expulsion of thepiston-rods II. The return to battery is likewise eifected by thesuitable inclination of the way. This system of conjugate combined brakethus compels the carriage to recoil independently of the angle offiring, thus greatly reducing the shock or vertical strain on thesupports, and when combined with a suitably-inclined way enables the gunor mortar to run out in battery effectually and automatically withoutthe aid of spring or compressed-gas accumulators.

This brake can evidently be applied to any construction of mounting forservice on land or water, and the forms and dimensions of theconstituent parts and the nature of the materials can be alteredaccording to circumstances without departing from the principles of theinvention.

I claim 1. The combination of a gun, its carriage and base, with ahydraulic brake for the recoil, and an upright hydraulic press whosecylinder communicates with the cylinder of the hydraulic brake to absorbthe vertical shock and translate it into a movement of recoil, as andfor the purpose set forth.

2. The combination of a gun, its carriage and base, with a hydraulicbrake for the recoil, a hydraulic cylinder communicating with thebrake-cylinder, and a plunger in the said hydraulic cylinder forming asupport for the gun in a vertical direction, substantially as described.

The combination of a gun, its carriage and base, with hydraulicbrake-cylinders on the carriage, fixed pistons therefor, hydrauliccylinders also on the carriage and communicating with thebrake-cylinders, and plungers in the said hydraulic cylinders supportingthe trunnions of the gun, all substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

HENRI SCHNEIDER.

WVitnesses:

CHARLES BRENORY, LEON FRANCKEN.

